Swan-Mills First Family Christmas
by x-Lady-Rouge-x
Summary: Regina and Emma are looking forward to spending their first Christmas together with Henry as a married couple and a proper family. However, Regina has to leave Storybrooke 3 days before Christmas and it's snowing hard...will she make it back in time to celebrate with her family?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone!**

**I know I haven't finished my other fic yet and thank you for all of the reviews they are so lovely to read! I have been working on this fic in the run up to christmas and was going to do it as a one shot but the ideas kept coming **** I am going to write chapter 9 of my other fic soon so please stay with me! If you like this Christmas fanfic please review or share with your friends I would really appreciate some feedback and after recent events in Storybrooke that have upset me so much (Regina and Emma being separated) I would like to inform you that in my fics that did not happen ****! Thank you and enjoy love Rouge xxx**

Chapter 1

A year had passed since Henry had been rescued from Neverland and the residence had set their feet back on the ground of Storybrooke for the first time to the sound of applause from the town members who welcomed them home. Emma and Regina's relationship had grown stronger in the first two, short months after their return, and they eventually voiced their true feelings for each other and realised that their chance of happiness had been right in front of them the whole time...being together! Although telling Emma's parents about their relationship was hard, after much deliberation and argumentative behaviour from both Mary Margaret and David, they started to see just how much Emma and Regina cared for each other, how much love they had for each other and they started to come around. Henry couldn't be happier, he had his dad Neal who had stuck by his word to be there for him, he had his grandparents who he knew loved him dearly and now he had both of his mothers, happy and together. Although it had of course came as a shock to him that his mothers were actually each other's true loves however, seeing them together it wasn't strange at all they just clicked they were happy and so was he.

Emma had moved into the mansion with Regina and Henry which really pained Mary Margaret to see, not because she didn't agree with the relationship but because it really felt like Emma had flown the nest and had grown up and because Mary Margaret had not gotten a chance to be a mother to her when she was a baby, this caused her much distress. Emma and Regina had officially been a couple for 8 months before they had gotten married and became Mrs and Mrs Swan-Mills! Emma had proposed to Regina by the well that Regina had used to save her life and Regina had accepted, with tears in her eyes. The wedding was a small, intimate ceremony at the town hall, both women wore beautiful, white gowns although Emma really wanted to wear a suit, but Regina wouldn't hear of it so she gave in and wore a dress. She was happy to do anything it took to make Regina happy and she knew Regina felt the same way.

It was now the 22nd of December and it was getting very close to Christmas. This would be their first Christmas as a married couple and as a true family with Henry, they were all very excited especially Emma and Regina because, growing up in foster care never gave Emma a chance to celebrate Christmas as a member of a proper family and Regina had never had a family Christmas like this it had always just been her and Henry and she wanted to get Emma a special gift this year.

Emma was waiting outside Henry's school, waiting to pick him up after his last day of school before the Christmas holidays. As she heard the bell ring she started to walk slowly across the playground to the main entrance as lots of excited school children ran past her to make their way to their parents to go home for the holidays. Emma knew that Henry would be the last child out of the school because Mary Margaret was his teacher and she always liked to walk out with him to see her or Regina when they picked Henry up.

"Hi Mom" Henry greeted her as he walked out of school closely followed by his grandmother.

"Hey Kid" she hugged him and then greeted her mother.

"Oh gosh it's freezing out here" Mary Margaret pointed out to a very cold Emma.

"Really? I hadn't noticed" Emma joked sarcastically as she stood there with her hands in her pockets for warmth as Henry giggled at her remark and Mary Margaret smiled.

"Go on, you go home into the warm, have a good holiday both of you and I will see you in a few days for Christmas" Mary Margaret hugged her daughter and her grandson tightly, which Emma mostly appreciated because of the warmth, and then quickly walked in the opposite direction heading into town to her home in the loft.

When Henry and Emma arrived home Regina was busy in the kitchen fixing dinner for them and making Christmas cookies.

"Mmmmm" Henry said as he entered the kitchen "Hi Mom, something smells amazing" he said with a smile on his face as he hugged his other mother.

"Why thank you dear, but you can't have any until after dinner" Regina smirked sussing out her sons intentions.

"awww" Henry moaned but he smiled too. "Look what I got today" he pulled off his backpack putting it on the counter and unzipping it taking out his latest math test showing Regina that he got an A.

"Well done Henry, you are so clever!" she told him proudly hanging this latest achievement on the fridge with his other tests, certificates and pictures of Regina, Emma and Henry together as Henry smiled watching.

"Thanks mom" Henry said as Emma who had removed her coat and boots came into the kitchen.

"Mmmm" She also said.

"Yes yes I know they smell delicious but they are Christmas cookies for later" Regina smiled as she waited for the cookies to cool down

"Awww ok Regina, we understand don't we Henry?" Emma said as she came behind her brunette, putting her arms around her waist gently and kissing her on the cheek sweetly to say hello. Regina reached her hand back to Emma's neck keeping her head still as she moved her own so that she was facing her blonde saviour and then kissed her lips gently. Emma quickly held onto Regina tightly.

"Henry quick!" Emma said playfully as she held Regina. Henry reached over the counter and took two cookie's and ran into the hall followed by Emma after releasing Regina. Emma took one cookie and ate it as Henry ate his.

"I can't believe you did that! Did you two have that planned or something?" Regina laughed replaying the last few moments in her head with her hands on her hips. "You had better not ruin your tea!" she stated turning round to place the other cookies safely in a tin and out of the way until later as Henry and Emma stood giggling in the hall with their mouths full.

When Henry had swallowed his cookie he asked "Mom its 22nd of December and we haven't decorated our christmas tree yet, can we do it now while we wait for tea?" knowing it will take a few hours for the tea to be ready.

"Yes let's do it Regina! It looks too bare just standing there with nothing on it" Emma said. She was more excited because she had never had a family christmas tree before. They used to have one in her care home when she stayed there and she used to decorate a little one in her flat where Henry found her, but it was never the same. This year she was actually going to have a family christmas tree...and an actual family of her own to celebrate with and she honestly couldn't wait.

"Ok we have time now if you want to" Regina said walking into the hall and getting all of the decorations out of the closet and heading into the living room where the tree stood next to the fire place. Henry started rummaging around in the boxes trying to find his favourite ornaments to put on the tree. "Hold on dear" Regina gently said "Its tinsel first remember, then ornaments and then lights" smiling at her son as Emma opened the box of tinsel.

They spend the next hour arranging the decorations on the Christmas tree. Henry showed Emma all the ornaments that he had made over the years at school and she looked at each one as if they were precious jewels, she never thought that she would have any of these moments with her son and she was thankful for every one of them and was thankful for the opportunity to share some of his past with him. The room was filled with laughter as Henry couldn't make the tinsel stay on the tree even though he tried numerous times and Emma managed to get herself tangled in the lights as she was wrapping them round the tree. However, when it was finished and all lit up, they were all sure it was the best Christmas tree they had ever seen. They all stood intertwined with each other admiring their work when Regina realised that the tea must be nearly done so she went out into the kitchen to check.

"You two go upstairs and wash up please tea is almost ready" Regina called to Emma and Henry who raced up the stairs realising just how hungry they had grew over the last hour. By the time they had returned to the kitchen the table was set and the meal was served. They all sat down and began to eat.

"So" Regina started the conversation "Christmas day, what time are your parents expecting us?"

"I think Mary Margaret said we were eating at 4" Emma replied after she had swallowed her food "This is so good Regina"

"Thank you dear" Regina always welcomed compliments about her food. "I'm really happy that everything is ok now with them, in terms of our relationship I mean" She took another mouthful of food.

"Me too" Emma replied swallowing "It was touch and go for a while but I am really glad that they decided to share this with us and be a part of my life again...well our life" picking up some more food with her folk.

"Did you see the newest addition to the fridge?" Regina asked pointing over to it with her folk

"The math test? Yeah! I don't know how he is so clever I really don't, you definitely didn't get that from me kid, I'm really bad at math...and your dad is worse than me" Emma said to her smiling son as he happily gulped down his food. "It must be Regina's influence" Emma continued as she smiled at Regina who was beaming with the inclusion in the battle of the DNA strands.

"I like to think so" Regina smirked at her own confidence as Emma giggled finishing her meal.

"Mom? Mom? Can we watch a christmas film tonight?" Henry asked as he finished his meal. Both mothers looked at each other and agreed it would be a good idea and when Regina had finished her meal and the dishes were cleared away they all settled down on the couch in the living room and Henry put Elf on.

"Before we press play, I have something I need to tell both of you" Regina announced as both Emma and Henry looked at her. "I'm afraid tomorrow I have to go out of town" Emma and Henry both looked shocked.

"What? Why?" Emma questioned quickly

"It's ok I will be back in the evening, I just have to travel two towns over to pick up something" Regina explained

"Mom, you can't! Its christmas eve, eve tomorrow" Henry exclaimed

"I know dear but I will be home tomorrow night! Look Emma, your Christmas present was delivered there by mistake and if I don't go they won't be able to deliver it on time" Regina explained

"I don't mind" Emma said "I just want you here for christmas"

"And I will be dear, look this present is special ok and I really want you to open it on christmas day when the rest of us are opening presents, I will only be gone half a day" Regina said smiling that her family cared so much about her

"Ok...if you're sure" Emma agreed and Henry nodded his head slowly in agreement too even though neither of them wanted to see her go. Emma and Henry didn't really like seeing people leave Storybrooke because they were always afraid that they wouldn't come back to them and, with it being Regina this time they were extremely worried about her departure.

"Come on lets watch the film, it will cheer you both up a little bit, ok?" Regina pressed play and the film began.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day Henry had risen early. Knowing that Regina would be going away today made him want to do something special while she was still here. He crept downstairs as quietly as he could and went into the kitchen. Meanwhile upstairs Emma and Regina were sound asleep, Regina wrapped up in Emma's arms, both of them holding each other close. They both began to stir and soon were awake holding each other looking into each other's eyes and smiling.

"Morning" Emma mumbled

"Morning dear" Regina replied sleepily, rubbing her eyes then returning her hand to rest against Emma's side as her head lay against Emma's shoulder.

"I don't want you to go away baby" Emma whispered as she rested her chin on top of Regina's head closing her eyes again.

"I know baby" Regina sighed "I don't want to go either, but I have to...I need to pick up your present, it's important and worth it I promise"

"I'm not sure it could be worth saying goodbye to you baby" Emma sighed holding to Regina tightly. "What about Henry, you are leaving him alone with me all day!"

"Emma you are more than capable of looking after our son for one day, and I will be back in time to tuck him into bed tonight" Regina smiled against Emma's shoulder as she nuzzled into her neck. Suddenly the door creaked open and both women looked over to see their son in the doorway struggling to hold a tray straight. Regina quickly got out of bed to help him and set the tray gently at the end of the bed, it contained a small vase with two single roses in, two plates of toast that had already been buttered and two glasses of orange juice.

"Sorry mom, I don't know how to use the new coffee machine" Henry apologised to Regina who liked her morning coffee.

"Henry this is so much better than coffee dear, this is so sweet thank you" Regina said as she leant down and kissed Henry on the head as Emma sat up in bed and saw the tray.

"Awww Henry, what a nice thing to wake up to!"

"I just thought that since mom is leaving today, she shouldn't make breakfast" Henry said as he handed both of his mothers their toast and sat on the bed next to the tray. Both women began to eat but Regina could see that Henry had just realised that he hadn't made himself any breakfast, and he was very hungry too. She giggled at him looking at Emma's toast and she offered him a piece of her own which he gratefully took and the three of them ate together.

"Erm...Henry?" Regina asked looking back down at the tray as she removed it from the bed and placed it on her bedside table.

"Yes mom?" Henry replied after swallowing his mouthful of toast

"Where did you get those roses from?" she questioned suspiciously and she saw as Henry gulped that her suspicions were right. "Did you go and pick these from my garden Henry?" Regina asked even though she was pretty sure of the answer.

"Well..." Henry started to explain but was interrupted by Regina's gasp

"Uh oh! I know that look...run kid!" Emma warned as she smirked at Henry who took his mothers advice and started running as Regina ran after him playfully.

"Sorry mom!" Henry shouted as he looked behind him to see Regina chasing after him. He ran into his room and around to his bed, as Regina followed him he jumped onto his bed and then quickly off over the other side and ran back into his mothers' room.

"Mom! You're the saviour...Save me!" Henry laughed as he ran to Emma's side and jumped up onto their bed as Regina ran back into the room.

"Hey! Off the bed" Regina said with a smirk

"No way!" Henry replied knowing his mother wouldn't follow him up onto the bed.

"Very well" Regina said with a smirk as she came over to the bed, lifted her hand up to him and pulled him down onto the bed in one quick movement that he didn't have time to prepare for. She giggled and tickled him as he lay on the bed.

"NO!...MOM!" he shouted in between laughing and trying to push her hands away from him as Emma just smiled at the sight before her "I'M...SORRY!" he laughed wriggling on the bed and Regina stopped, both Henry and Regina laughed calming down.

"Don't let me catch you picking flowers from my garden again! Even for me" she smiled and laughed and Henry nodded smiling, knowing she was joking.

"Right well I guess that's everything" Regina said turning around from her car to see her wife and her son both with sad faces standing outside their front door getting ready to say goodbye to her. "Don't be sad, please" coming up the steps to meet them, coming down to Henry's level "Now you be good for your mom ok?"

"I will mom" Henry replied hugging Regina tightly, this was the first time he was going to be away from her since he was taken to Neverland, away from his family, and even though Regina was only going to be away for a day, Henry couldn't help but be anxious. He was just grateful that Emma was not going too.

Regina hugged him back tightly "Good boy my little prince" and then she stood up taking Emma's hands. "I will call you when I get there ok? And when I am on my way back" Regina smiled gripping her wife's hands.

"Ok" Emma sighed and pulled Regina into a hug "I will look after him"

"I know you will dear" Regina replied having complete faith in Emma and she pulled away from her embrace to kiss her wife hard on the lips. "I will see you soon" she said as she cupped Emma's face in her hands and kissed her again but gently this time. "I love you both so much" and with that she turned and walked back down the steps and got into her car, starting the engine.

"We love you too" the blonde called to her as both she and Henry stood on the steps, Emma's arm draped over Henry's shoulders and Henry's arm around his mothers waist. They both waved as Regina drove off beeping her horn at them and waving out of her open window. They watched her disappear out of sight and couldn't help but feel like their little family unit was incomplete...and they didn't like it.

Regina drove off and pretty soon she passed the 'Leaving Storybrooke' sign and looked into her mirror at the road behind her...Storybrooke falling into the distance. As she concentrated on driving and turned her radio on it started to lightly snow and she couldn't help but smile, she loved the snow and she knew how excited Henry would be when he realised it was snowing because he loved it too. She began to reminisce about all the Christmases she and Henry had shared together, when he was younger she loved teaching him about Christmas, about Santa Clause and the magic of Christmas. He was so excited each year on Christmas morning going downstairs with her to see the tree with his presents underneath...it was magical.

This year will be no different she thought to herself, they had decorated the house and the tree, Henry was just as excited because Emma was here this year too and Regina and Emma were excited as it was their first christmas as a married couple, and a family.

Yes, she thought, this year would be just as special and magical as every other year.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this new fic! I have major writers block on my other fic and I want it to be really good which is why I started writing this one instead while I think of the best way to continue my other one! ****) Please keep reading and reviewing I love to hear what you all think xxx**

Chapter 3

A few hours more than she had hoped it would have taken her, due to a car causing an accident on one of the main roads into the town that she was headed to; Regina finally made it to her destination. She parked her car in a hotel car park and walked quickly because of the falling snow into the small, white building and headed to the front desk which was highly decorated for the festive season.

A tall, thin woman with grey hair and who was wearing a dark green blazer over a black dress greeted her at the front desk. Regina looked at the older woman and could tell that she must have been working there for a long time. She pressed the keys on her keypad without looking away from Regina.

"Good afternoon, how may I help you?" she greeted Regina

"Hello, I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to this location" she acquired as she handed the woman a piece of paper with the address of her desired location upon it and then brushed the snow from her hair.

"Oh yes" the receptionist replied, you cross over the road, head all the way down mulberry road, turn right down ash street and you should see it on your left...it shouldn't take you more than fifteen minutes to get there, would you be requiring a room?"

"No thank you, I am just picking something up and heading back home, thank you for the directions though, I really appreciate it" and Regina's turned walking out of the hotel, into the snow again and started to follow the woman's instructions.

"Mom, it's getting late, shouldn't mom be home by now?" Henry called as he leant against the living room window sill of the mansion looking out of the window at the snow and trying to catch a glimpse of his mother returning.

"Henry" Emma replied coming into the living room "It's not that late, we haven't even had tea yet, your mother just text me, there was an accident on the roads and she got held up but she has arrived and is on her way to get the package" she made her way over to the window and placed her arm on her sons shoulder. "She will be home soon, don't worry"

Henry sighed, "I just don't like knowing she isn't here, it's too strange without her...i don't like it" he explained watching the snow fall.

"I know kid, I don't like it either but me and you are going to have tea together and then we can watch a film or you can play your videogames upstairs until she gets home, ok?" Emma tried to sound enthusiastic hoping it would rub off on Henry but the truth was she was missing Regina too. Even though it hadn't been a day since they last saw each other, this was the first time they had been apart since the wedding...since Neverland really and as she longed to hear Regina's car pull up outside and the front door open, she gazed down at her wedding ring and sighed.

"So...what's for tea then mom?" Henry asked not looking away from the window.

"Well since your mom is away...I was thinking we could order a pizza? Unless you would rather I cooked...but I'm sure your mother wouldn't take too kindly to us having food poisoning over Christmas" Emma smirked and saw Henry smile through the window.

"You're not that bad mom!" Henry remarked "Although I do think pizza is a very good idea!" as he turned around to face Emma who nodded and went to get her phone so she could order.

"Mom?" Henry called

"Yes kid?" Emma replied from the hall

"What if the snow keeps coming down, will mom be able to get back home?" He asked in a worried tone

"Of course Henry, she will be home before the snow gets too bad, and then tomorrow when the snow sticks you can go and meet up with your friends and play in the park or something" she calls to him as she dials her phone and orders their tea as Henry sighs watching at the window.

Regina trudged through the deep snow, now having Emma's package safely tucked into the deep pocket of her winter coat. The snow was coming down fast and it took a few extra minutes to find her way back to the hotel where her car was parked. On her way she saw a long line of traffic trying to exit the town and a lot of people beeping their horns and getting out of their cars. She made her way down the street and over to the line of cars in the opposite direction of the hotel. The road was blocked off. She walked as fast as she could in the ankle deep snow to the man at the bottom who had placed the "road closed" sign there.

"Excuse me, what's going on?" Regina shouted trying to be heard over the beeping horns and angry people.

"The road has been closed ma'am because of the snow, the roads between towns are not safe to drive on in this" the man stated and Regina's face fell.

"B..but...I have to get home t...tonight! I have to get home to my family, tomorrow is Christmas Eve" She stuttered shivering in the snow

"Everyone feels that way ma'am but I'm afraid we can't let anyone leave until further notice" and he walked off to stand at the front of the queue with the other townsmen leaving her stood in the snow as it started to get dark. She walked slowly back to her car as the traffic grew up the road and the beeping of horns continued. Regina reached the hotel and walked inside to be greeted by the same woman from earlier.

"Hello again, did you find what you were looking for?" She greeted, again not looking down at her keyboard as she typed.

"Yes thank you" Regina said with her head bowed slightly, sniffing from being in the cold weather.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked stopping her consistent typing seeing that something had upset Regina.

"It looks like I am going to need a room after all" Regina explained "The roads are closed because of the snow"

"Oh no, do you have a family back home?" she asked which made Regina feel a bit deflated.

"Yes, my wife and son are at home waiting for me" Regina said "I have to be home for Christmas"

"aww well I'm sure the snow will have melted by tomorrow, have hope" the woman smiled at her and gave her a room key. Regina took the key and made her way to her room.

It was a nice looking room; there was a bed, a phone, a television and everything else that was expected in a hotel room...but it wasn't home and it made her sad. What was worse was now she had to call Emma and tell her and Henry that she wasn't coming home tonight. Regina sat on the edge of her bed, took a deep breath and picked up the phone calling Emma's phone.

"Hey come on kid that's not fair" Emma shouted laughing as she and Henry were playing one of his videogames and Henry was winning by a lot.

"Yes it is mom, that's how you play the game!" Henry replied with a smirk as Emma's phone started to ring and she picked it up.

"Hey it's your mom, kid" she said as she answered the phone

"Hey baby, where are you? We thought you might be home by now Henry is nearly ready to go to bed." Regina is silent on the other end of the phone trying to think of the best way to tell them. "Regina? Are you there?"

"Yeah baby...I'm here" Regina said trying not to sound upset

"What's wrong?" hearing the sadness in her voice

"Baby" Regina started to explain "The snow is too deep they have closed the roads, I'm still here...I'm in a hotel".

"What?" Emma said sounding upset "For how long?" Henry didn't like the sound of this half of the conversation and watched Emma waiting for her to finish.

"Until further notice they said" Regina explained with a sigh

"But it will be soon right?" Emma questioned

"I hope so baby but it all depends on the weather, if the snow isn't gone by tomorrow then they won't open the roads, we just have to hope that it melts" Regina said sighing again "Can I talk to Henry please baby?"

"Yeah of course" Emma replied sadly before looking to Henry and holding the phone out to him "Your mom wants to speak to you Henry" she told him and he took the phone.

"Mom?" sounding worried having heard Emma's part of the conversation

"Hello my little prince" Regina said gently smiling and Henry couldn't help but smile at hearing his mother's voice but it quickly faded.

"Mom...what's wrong? Are you nearly home?" Henry asked nervously already feeling like he knew the answer his mother was about to give him.

"No Henry...I'm afraid I won't be able to come home tonight because of the weather" the saddened mother tried to explain to her young son. When there was no reply from Henry she continued "I tried baby but they closed the roads, I am in a hotel now but I might be able to come home tomorrow...if the weather is better"

"And what if it's not better?" Henry mumbled quietly down the phone to his mother

"Well lets just pray that it will be better ok?" She said

"Mom? If it's not better tomorrow...will you not be home for christmas?" Henry sounded like he was getting really upset and it broke Regina's heart especially since she couldn't cuddle him and tell him it would be ok

"I don't know Henry...but I will try my best, I want nothing more right now than to be home with you and Emma and to celebrate Christmas with you both"

"We want that too mom, it won't be Christmas if you're not here too" he whimpered

"Awww Henry...please don't get upset, I will do everything I can to get home to you ok? Please put your mother back on" Regina promised, her eyes becoming misty.

"Ok mom, love you" Henry whispered down the phone and once Regina had told him that she loved him too he passed the phone back to Emma and made his way upstairs his head bowed.

"Regina?" Emma asked

"Still here baby" Regina replied

"He's really upset, he's gone to bed" Emma said with a sigh that was matched by Regina

"I thought he would be, it's so frustrating baby" Regina said sounding upset with a hint of anger in her tone.

"Hey, I know it is baby but don't worry things might be better tomorrow, I am going to have to go and tuck Henry in ok? Try and get some sleep and I will speak to you in the morning, yeah?" the blonde mother said "Love you Regina"

"Love you too Emma" Regina replied and hung up the phone, lay down on the bed fully clothed and sighed deeply. She stared up at the ceiling thinking about her beautiful family and found herself fumbling in her deep coat pocket and holding onto Emma's Christmas present.

"It will be worth it...it will all be worth it...I hope"


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much for your reviews I am really glad you are liking this fic **** Again so so so sorry that the next chapter for my other fic isn't up yet but I have just had an idea for it at last! So will be working on it today! Hopefully you like this chapter too xxx**

Chapter 4

Regina had been very restless throughout the night. She wasn't used to sleeping in a bed alone anymore and she kept jumping awake whenever she would lean over or push her arm across the bed to be greeted by the cold, empty sheets next to her. When she decided it was time to get up she kept the curtains closed, slightly afraid to look to see if the snow had melted. If she looked at there was snow, it meant that there was a slim chance that she would be home with her family for Christmas as today was Christmas Eve and she couldn't bare it if that happened. So she kept the curtains closed, feeling that at least if she didn't look there was still a chance that the roads would be cleared and she could go home and everything would be ok.

She waited until she was dressed after a nice, hot shower before she went over to the curtains silently praying before pulling them open...she was greeted by snow...not much more than yesterday had fallen, but it hadn't melted at all and the roads were deathly quiet, not a single car on the road. The roads were still closed and she was still stuck...

Henry and Emma had also had a restless night. After talking to Regina on the phone the night before, Emma had went up to Henry's room and had found him really upset, he was taking being away from Regina really hard due to his memories of being kidnapped. The blonde was struggling too, but Emma knew she had to be strong for Henry, even though she knew that if the mayor couldn't get home, there would be no Christmas in the Swan-Mills household...not on the 25th of December anyway.

"Come here kid" Emma had said gently as she was entering Henry's room last night. Henry had simply held his arms out to her in a child like way as she had sat on his bed and they had embraced tightly. Emma tried to comfort him the way she knew Regina could, stroking his head and rocking him gently, telling him that everything would work out ok. But in the end she took Henry into the bedroom Regina and herself shared to sleep with her. She thought it would comfort him but the truth was she didn't want to sleep alone either, she hated feeling alone.

When Emma had woken up this morning, Henry was already up and staring out of the window at the snow and the blonde exhaled deeply watching him, she could tell from his body language that the snow had not cleared, his head was drooped, his shoulders tense, his arms wrapped around himself hugging himself. She couldn't bare it.

"Morning kid" she gently said, he turned around and without making a sound he walked over and climbed back into bed with his birth mother and cuddled into her. She held him tight making him know silently that she was there for him.

"It's still there mom" Henry whispered into his mother's chest

"I had guessed it was kid...don't worry your mom will try her best and if she isn't back...well then we can just have a special Christmas when she gets home" she tried to use her enthusiastic voice but it didn't really come out as she has planned in her head. She kissed his head gently and cuddled him closer as he nodded his head against her. "However" she continued "We can't stay in bed all day and do nothing...what would your mom say if she knew we did that?" she smiled knowing that Regina did not like to waste a day.

"She would want us to get up and do something because I'm off school and it's the holidays" Henry mumbled into his mother's chest.

"Exactly! So come on get up" she pulled the covers off of him and he looked up at her and managed a small smile. He then, got out of bed and ran off to get dressed and Emma couldn't help but feel a little bit proud of herself, she always thought she wouldn't be able to take care of a child and that she would fail as a mother but since she moved into the mansion with Regina and Henry, she had gotten better and better with Henry and parenthood and it made her so happy. She knew that Henry was happy and felt secure and safe and that was all that mattered to her.

Regina had decided that she might as well go around the shops and find something to eat as it was past dinner time by now and she thought that maybe she would have a look around to make time pass by faster as she waited for the snow to melt, or for there to be news about the roads.

"Good afternoon" the receptionist greeted her as she made her way downstairs.

"Good afternoon" Regina replied with a sigh trying to be polite even though she didn't really want to talk to anyone.

"I am really sorry that the roads are still closed, I am sure it won't be for long though, the sheriff here has sent out for people to help clear the roads and grit them" she informed Regina with a small smile.

"Will the roads be open today do you think?"

"Maybe...I'm not sure, but have hope and I'm sure it will all work out for you" the lady said and Regina smiled hearing this.

"Thank you" she replied and walked out feeling a little more positive but she could see and feel that the snow was deeper than last night, two inches more than ankle level easily but luckily she had her boots on.

As she passed the road out of the town, it was empty and she could see the bright orange signs going across the road obviously stating that the road was still closed. She struggled to walk in the snow in her heeled, black boots but she managed to make her way to a small cafe and she went in for something to eat with a sigh and decided to ring home knowing that hearing her family's voices would lift her spirits even if she was away from them.

"Hello?" Emma answered her phone laughing. Emma had coaxed Henry out into the garden to play in the snow hoping to cheer him up and it was working like magic. They were currently in the middle of a snow ball fight which had broken out while they were making a snowman together and Emma had moaned wanting it to be a snowwoman.

"Emma? It's me baby" Regina said curious about why her wife was laughing and sounding so out of breath. "Are you ok?"

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed "Hey Henry time out ok?" she shouted to him before returning to her phone call. "Hey baby! How are you? are you coming home?" the blonde hoped for the positive answer.

"Not yet baby, the roads are still blocked here...what are you doing? You sound out of breath" The mayor questioned.

"Oh, me and Henry are out in the garden baby, a snow ball fight broke out...what can I say?" she breathlessly explained and Regina couldn't help but smile at the image forming in her head.

"It's good to know you are having fun baby, is Henry ok?" the brunette mother asked anxiously

"He is...coping baby, he misses you a lot...we both do"

"I miss you both too, I wish I were with you" Regina said sighing and her wife felt her pain.

"I know baby but...ok hold on Henry...Regina? Henry wants to speak to you" Emma said as she passed the phone over to Henry.

"Hi mom!" Henry greeted his mother sounding happier than he did the night before

"Hello dear, how are you?" Her motherly instincts coming out immediately

"Ok mom...we made a snowman" he smiled as he told his mother and she could hear Emma protesting in the background about the gender of the snowperson!

"Oh very nice dear, I can't wait to see it...hopefully I will be home soon" trying not to get her sons hopes up too much but not wanting to shatter them either.

"I hope so mom, I miss you...mom says to say goodbye now because we are going to have something to eat"

"Ok my little prince, be good and I will see you soon...say goodbye to your mom for me too" Regina said.

"Bye mom, I will do, we love you...please come home soon" Henry said and after his mother had said her final goodbye's she hung up the phone, sighed and drank her coffee daydreaming of being home playing in the snow with her family.

**********************************************************************************A good few hours later, Regina had been shopping trying to keep herself busy and not thinking so much about the fact that tomorrow was Christmas day. She had bought herself some supplies incase she had to stay another night here. She had also found a framed poster of Henry's favourite super heroes, the avengers and bought it for him. He was obsessed with super heroes these days and he made his mothers watch the films at least twice a week but they didn't mind because it made him smile so much.

She had also found a beautiful, silver, charm bracelet for Emma with different charms around it that she had chosen herself...a heart (of course), a swan to represent Emma, a crown to represent herself, a horse to represent Henry and his love of horses and riding which he did with David every spare moment he had, a sword to represent bravery and a feather to represent hope. She also added a snowflake charm to represent the situation they were in at this moment in time and hoped that next year when they looked at it they would look back and laugh...but she doubted it.

As she walked carefully up the road she felt that the snow was definitely slushier than earlier she turned to cross the road and saw that it wasn't empty! She looked down the street following the line of cars, their lights flashing and horns beeping impatiently just as before and Regina could see that the orange signs were being moved...the roads were opening and had been cleared and gritted!

Regina quickly ran to her car, packed everything away and went to pay the receptionist.

"The roads have been cleared!" she announced as she entered the hotel reception and the woman behind the desk looked up and smiled at her.

"Oh how wonderful! I'm guessing you are checking out then?" she asked with a smile

"Yes please" Regina was so happy and determined that she had enough time to get home for dinner this evening.

"Thank you for staying here Mrs Swan-Mills" she said as she read Regina's signature "and I hope you get hope safely to your family"

"Thank you" Regina smiled

After she paid the bill and got back into her car, putting her shopping bags in the boot of her car, she drove out of the car park and joined the back of the queue to leave town. All around her there was chaos...beeping horns, angry drivers wanting the traffic to move, screaming babies who didn't like being strapped into their car seats...but Regina just sat behind the wheel of her car and smiled. She was going home for Christmas.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the interest in my fic its been amazing to read all of your comments about both of my fics **** This is only a small chapter but the next one is coming I wanted to make it more important and dramatic so I cut this chapter in half...enjoy! xxx**

Chapter 5

Henry had persuaded Emma to watch the Avengers film with him...again! He drove both of his mothers insane with this film and he watched it at least twice a week but Emma knew he needed cheering up and it was Christmas eve after all so they huddled under a blanket together on the couch, Henry leaning against Emma as he bounced excitedly when there were any fighting scenes on.

She just smiled at him as he watched this film but every now and again he would turn his attention to the window, gazing out into the darkness in a trance like state, as if he expected a light to suddenly shine through the window and for Regina to appear before them. Emma stroked his hair or the back of his neck like Regina would do each time he did this, trying to make him feel safe and comforted. Although it just reminded him that his mother wasn't with them and he cuddled tighter into Emma under the blanket trying to let his favourite film and the fantasy world he loved engulf him.

**********************************************************************************Regina had been driving for hours and she was only half way home, the traffic was atrocious and the roads although they had been gritted, were still very slippy which had caused a few accidents that just held the traffic up even more. She looked at the clock on her radio and sighed, she had missed dinner at home but, at least she was moving even if it was painfully slow and every time she looked at the time on her radio it felt like torture as another minute slipped away.

She had her phone in its holder opposite her, attached to the car beneath the radio and when she was once again forced to brake, stopping still in the traffic she rang Emma and put it on loudspeaker.

"Regina?" Emma sounded relieved to hear her wife's voice and she paused the film, putting her own phone onto loudspeaker for Henry to hear.

"Hey baby" Regina said as her heart fluttered hearing Emma's voice followed by Henry's "Hi Mom!"

"Hello my little prince, how are you both?" she sounded concerned and even though her voice was being drowned out by constant beeping of horns and angry and tired yells from other drivers, Emma and Henry hardly noticed and both family members assured Regina that they were both ok and Regina left it at that.

"I miss you mom" Henry said trying not to sound too sad because he didn't want to upset his mother but he failed miserably and Regina could hear the pain in his voice and almost winced herself as she felt a pain in her heart.

"I miss you both" Regina said "But guess where I am?" she said sounding a little more upbeat and happy.

"Where?" both Henry and Emma asked

"In my car...stuck in traffic but driving home! Slowly!"

"YAY!" Henry yelled as Emma gasped loudly feeling so overcome with the happy news

"Really Regina? You're coming home?"

"I'm coming home baby, I don't know when I will get there because it's very slippy and there is a lot of traffic but I am closer to you than I have been" she smiled realising that that was actually a fact.

"Mom, come home soon ok?" he said looking at the clock seeing it was getting late

"I am driving as fast as I can Henry I promise, you can hear what it's like here, I will be home soon" the brunette promised wanting so much to be home, she would have done anything to be at home with her family on this christmas eve, she wished she had never gone on the trip in the first place...but then she felt in her pocket and felt the small box that this whole stressful, heartbreaking event was over.

She smiled slightly to herself thinking about Emma opening it tomorrow...or whenever she got home, and she hoped with all of her heart that Emma would love it.

"Ok mom" Henry's voice bringing her back from her daydreamed state "I love you"

"I'm coming up to the next town now ok? So I will ring you back because the traffic is moving again, speak in a little while, love you both" and she quickly cut the phone dead because she was getting beeped at from behind her as she was holding up the traffic.

Henry hugged Emma tightly "Mom's coming home!"

The blonde couldn't contain her happiness...and why the hell should she, she thought. The sheriff had spent the last few days trying to convince herself and her upset son that everything would be ok even though she had found it increasingly difficult to keep her smile plastered on her face for him as the days had went on.

There was nothing fake or plastered on about the smile she was wearing right at this moment though as she hugged Henry back "I know Kid, I heard" she gave a small giggle and the two of them watched Emma's phone waiting for Regina to reach the next town and call them.

As Regina drove at a snail's pace into the next town she could feel her excitement build as she looked around to see the decorated houses and stores, the christmas tree that stood tall in the middle of the town square heavily decorated with lights and tinsel and all the people lost in the festivities around her.

Surprisingly the traffic seemed to speed up as she drove through the town so she decided to keep going, not wanting to stop to ring Emma when she could get home to her faster. She sped up with the traffic and pretty soon after a few close turns in the ice through the town, she could see the edge of the town creeping towards her. The town sign becoming increasingly visible to her, the roads heavily gritted in front of her and the road between the cars became apparent and visible for the first time in miles.

Some of the traffic died down as they passed through the town as some people in the queue had obviously only intended to drive as far as this town and they turned off the main road as they reached their desired destination.

For the first time in miles Regina could see open road between herself and the other drivers and they all sped up to a normal speed.

That's when it happened

"BANG"

Regina gasped...her heart in her mouth as she lunged forward in her seat with force, grabbing the steering wheel tightly as her car spun to the right.

She let out a small scream as she tried to gain control of her car spinning faster...the sounds of beeping and screeching of breaks coming from all angles as she spun...they seemed loud but decreasing significantly until there was just silence...everything around her was moving in slow motion but as she hit the ice and snow at the side of the road...all she could do was close her eyes tight, hold on and think of her family.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your reviews they make me smile so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I apologise if I take longer than usual to update as I have a lot of uni work on at the moment and it really can't be helped! Thanks and enjoy xxx**

Chapter 6

" Erm...mom?"

"What kid?" Emma stopping the film again to listen to her son

"If mom is coming home...don't you think we should tidy up?" both of them glanced around the room at the empty food containers and the pizza boxes, the dirty plates and glasses that they had used days ago when Regina first left town. Emma looked at her dirty socks and her jacket flung over the arm of the couch in a disorganized manner, Henrys backpack stuffed under the table, papers all over the place from when he was showing her his English assignment that he has to do over Christmas.

"Erm...yeah kid I think that's a very good idea, your mom would have a heart attack if she saw this mess...you do downstairs and I will do upstairs" she said remembering that upstairs matched the state of the lower level.

"Or, we each do our own rooms and then we both do downstairs together...we will get it done faster that way" Henry said looking at the clock and seeing that it was getting late and from his mothers latest phone call he knew that she was only one town away.

"Good idea" Emma agreed as she quickly gathered up her clothes from the chair and some of the dirty dishes making her way to the kitchen sink as Henry grasped his backpack gathering all of the papers from it and made a start on the pizza boxes rushing after Emma to the kitchen.

Regina slowly opened her eyes...the darkness subsiding...the blurred world coming back into sight as a groan escaped from deep in her throat as she lifted her head away from the window at her left side that she had banged against, knocking her unconscious. She brought her hand to that side of her head and winced, she pulled her hand away...blood. She just sat there staring at her fingers for a few moments, the sticky, red substance slowly running down her fingers. She tore her gaze away from her fingers to outside of her car, it was a surreal experience gazing at the roadside in the distance that she was driving along what felt like only a few minutes ago and in moments she had ended up crashed into a tree, dazed and with a bleeding temple.

Brushing through her hair with her fingers best she could, she opened her car door and slowly stepped out, clinging to her door for support as she gained her balance and queen like posture, even in this state she couldn't bear to be seen as unladylike or any less than refined. She walked around her car and saw the tyre that had blown out on her caused by the heavily gravelled road, causing this mess and purely from impulse, her automatic reaction was to kick the tyre with her pointed, classy, expensive boots which were now stood in the snow again. She quickly glanced around hoping that no one had seen her undignified outburst and grabbing her bags from the back of her car she slowly walked back towards the road.

Two men, who had been watching from the roadside in their car with their families searching for some kind of sign of life from Regina's car, had rushed down the small hill after seeing her emerge from the crash. They both had black hair slightly longer than Regina thought acceptable on a man, one was much taller and broader and the other smaller, thinner and much less dominant. Regina was startled as she looked up seeing the two men calling to her and rushing towards her, her first instinct was to drop her bags and raise her arms in defence knowing that if she had to she could use magic to stop these men and their intentions but they slowed down seeing her obviously alarmed.

"It's ok we want to help you, we saw you crash, are you ok?" the first man asked, running a hand through his black wavy hair his other hand raised in front of him, his palm to Regina as a sign that they meant her no harm. He couldn't have been much older than 30 and his companion seemingly younger. "My name is Ben...this is my brother Tom, we are travelling with our families" he cocked his head backwards and Regina looked in that direction. Two women were watching from their cars, one rocking a small child in her arms and from the back of the other car she gained stares from two small children her guess was that they were 4 or 5 years old.

Regina lowered her arms still a little weary of the men. "I am fine, thank you" Regina told them after finding her voice again.

"Well that's a nasty cut you have there ms...?" Ben gestured

"Swan-Mills...Mrs Swan-Mills" Regina replied a little calmer as she saw in the corner of her eye one woman remove herself from her car.

"Well...Mrs Swan-Mills...do you need a ride? We are headed west" Ben asked

"No thank you" not fully trusting two men late at night to give her a ride even if they did have families "I am travelling north anyway, but the last town I passed isn't far I will have to go there and request the help of getting my car fixed"

"Are you sure you're ok?" Ben asked as Regina bent down to retrieve her bags from the snow

"I'm fine, thank you, I will be fine" and she quickly started walking back to the town not looking back at the two families as her heart ached for her own.

Emma collapsed on the couch face down tired from speed cleaning the whole house with Henry and he came in soon after her and lay on the couch too his face next to hers and his lower half across her back gaining a small groan from Emma with the extra weight put on her.

"How long have we been cleaning?" she asked and Henry looked at the clock

"A little under an hour" he said tiredly "I think mom will be pleased"

"She better had be, I'm exhausted" Emma moaned and Henry laughed slightly at her and closed his eyes "Me too"

"I think maybe it's time for you to go to bed kid" Emma whispered

"No mom! Please! Mom isn't home yet" he whined "I want to stay up until she is home" he yawned.

"I know kid but its Christmas eve you're meant to go to sleep early right? So Santa can come?" this gained an eyebrow raised look from her son.

"Mom, I'm almost twelve"

"Yes...and you believe in magic remember?" she smirked at him but saw that he wasn't amused so she resulted in a more tactical approach "Look I will wake you as soon as your mom comes home ok? I promise" she smiled at him and he sighed heavily followed by a yawn as he got up off of her.

He reached the bottom of the stairs before he heard Emma's phone going and he raced back to the living room smiling at her as she answered it.

"Hey baby, are you at the next town?" Emma answered smiling at Henry, but her smile quickly faded when she heard her wife's sobs down the phone. "Regina? Regina what is it? What's happened?" Emma's stomach dropped and she filled with worry.

"I crashed the car" Regina sobbed "The tyre blew out and the car spun off the road into a tree"

"Oh my god, are you hurt?" Henry's face showed panic as he heard that question come from his mother's lips.

"W. happened? What do you mean is she hurt?" Henry questioned panicky but was ignored as Emma desperately listened to her upset wife.

"I'm ok, I walked back to the next town over and I'm at a diner, they have a hotel here too" she sobbed "They can pick up and fix the car but they won't do it until the 27th when the garage is open here" she took a moment to pause and try to calm herself "I have to stay here" the realisation that she would be stuck in a different town from Emma and Henry for christmas hit Regina all too fast.

"Oh baby...no we can come and meet you" Emma offered quietly but she was met all too quickly by Regina's firm voice.

"No! I do not want you driving in this weather ok? Especially with Henry...no you stay there and spend Christmas together, I will just have to wait here" Regina shivered as she wiped at her tears speaking firmly to her wife.

"But..." Emma tried to argue but once again was met by Regina's firm voice

"Emma please I need to know that you and Henry are safe at home ok? It will make me feel better knowing you are together and that you are safe" Regina said her voice breaking a little.

Henry was getting really upset at this point, and hearing Emma's half of the conversation just made him feel worse and more anxious, he knew something had happened to his mother and he knew from Emma's pleas to let her go to pick Regina up that she wasn't coming home.

As much as it saddened her, Emma finally agreed to stay with Henry at home and when she could Regina would come home and they would all celebrate as a family. And celebrate that they were all together again. By the time Emma hung up after the wives had told each other how much they loved each other and Regina told Emma to take care of Henry, she was crying and she turned to see Henry was too. She hugged him tightly and was forced to explain what had happened to Regina.

"But is she ok? You can't just crash into a tree and be ok can you?" Henry asked upset picturing his mother hurt

"Of course you can Henry, I don't think it was a bad crash and people walk away from accidents like that unharmed every day, I am sure your mom is fine. She just can't get home because she has no car now" Emma explained hugging him close to her chest.

"She doesn't want us to go and get her?" he frowned a little not understanding

"No kid, she doesn't want us on the roads in the ice and snow, she wants us here waiting for her when she gets back"

"But mom...you would be careful driving" Henry said trying to persuade his blonde mother to go looking for Regina

"Henry, your mom is the most careful driver I know and she still crashed! Come on kid we can't do anything except wait for her next phone call, she will ring tomorrow to wish you a merry Christmas" and a frown came across his face

"How will it be Christmas without mom? And how will it be merry exactly?" He looked up into Emma's face before getting upset again

"I know Henry I know but she told me to stay here with you"

"Since when do you do as you're told mom?" and a cheeky grin came across his face as a tear rolled down his cheek at the same time one appeared across Emma's face. "The roads aren't even icy this side of the town well not through Storybrooke anyway, please mom we can drive very very slowly, barley even moving...but we can't just sit here and wait...we have to do something!"

Emma couldn't help but laugh at her son, his ability to make anything sound like a heroic act amused her and his vivid imagination and wild ideas he definitely got from her...even though she would never admit it properly to him.

She herself when she was younger in foster care would dream up stories to make herself feel better. She imagined the new parents that would come and foster her and what her life would be like with them, she imagined all the different reasons why her birth parents had left her and how they were searching for her, their hearts breaking from the guilt. She imagined fighting dragons and sailing ships, finding a fairy godmother that would help her or a genie in a lamp ready to grant her three wishes. Yes, Henry definitely got his imagination from her she just kept hers hidden.

"Henry" she started looking into her sons pleading eyes "Go and dress very warmly" she smiled and he gasped

"We are going to find her?" he exclaimed excitedly

"We are going to bring her home" she smiled and they both ran off upstairs


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everyone! So sorry it has taken me so long to update both of my fics I can't tell you what a hectic time I have been having with university these past few months but I will have more time in April and will finish this fic and will update my other one which I have had lots of messages about updating! So sorry but lovely to hear that you are enjoying them both! Please review and pass on to your friends I have loved the response from you all with both my fics thank you!**

**Love Rouge xxx**

Chapter 7

Regina sniffled both from being upset and also from having had to walk back to this town in the freezing cold weather, her coat and scarf not being thick enough to keep the icy chill out. She gazed out of the frost bitten window of the diner, wiping her tears every now and again, holding her now empty cup of coffee in her hands that were still red from the frozen wind outside. She was lost in her own little world she didn't see the tall, brown haired man walking towards her booth.

"Excuse me?" he said, but she didn't hear so he spoke a little louder "Excuse me?" and she looked away from the window and up at him

"Oh, sorry" wiping her tears from her face "I didn't hear you, can I help you?" frowning a little at the stranger

"I couldn't help but notice that you are upset" he said sitting down opposite her causing her to cross her legs uncomfortably under the table, a little annoyed at the stranger thinking he was welcome to sit down with her. "So I thought that maybe I could help? I mean its christmas eve so I thought, why on earth is a beautiful woman such as you sat in a diner so upset? Bad date?" he continued.

Regina rose one of her eyebrows looking at him "I'm sorry...and you are?"

"I'm Paul" he smiled brushing his hand through his hair in a way that made Regina have to force herself not to be sick but she gripped her mug a little tighter.

"Well, Paul I would rather be alone right now" she frowned

"Who wants to be alone at christmas? Come on, let me buy you another coffee, or something stronger?" he said leaning his hands over the table but Regina quickly pulls hers onto her lap.

"No thank you" the brunette was trying not to take her anger about the situation she found herself in out on the man, even if he was beginning to annoy her

"So what did he do to you?" seeing the large cut on Regina's left temple "He hit you?"

"There was no date, I had an accident with my car if you must know, and sitting here talking is the last thing I want to be doing right now!" she snapped at him

"Oh really? Well if you're interested my house isn't too far from here...?" he gestured earning himself a first class Regina Mills glare

"I want to be home with my family, my wife and our son" her voice rose showing the frustration inside her.

"Wife? Really?" he asked surprised

"Yes my wife, whom I love dearly" she explained holding up her left hand showing him her wedding ring "now if you don't mind" gesturing for him to leave her alone as the waitress came over with a pot of coffee

"Paul, are you bothering my customers again? Go on, go home" she said firmly and Paul exited the booth and walked outside the diner without another word.

"Sorry about that, he means no harm really, more coffee?" she asked as Regina just pushed her cup gently in her direction and she filled it up for her.

"Mom, come on!" Henry whined waiting by the front door with his backpack packed and his warm coat and boots already on.

"I'm coming" Emma called as she ran down the stairs also with a bag packed and went into the kitchen "Put your hat on Henry" Emma called back.

"Mooooom" Henry whined as he got his hat from his backpack and put it on. He then went to the Christmas tree in the living room and packed the few small presents that were already under the tree for each of them

"Come on, what are you doing?" he asked his blonde mother as she came back out from the kitchen holding a flask

"Cocoa?" she asked with a smile "We might be in the car a while with the weather"

"Good idea mom!" Henry smiled "But can we go now? Please? It's already getting late"

"Yes kid, let's go"

Both Henry and Emma opened the door to be greeted by the snow, no longer falling but still thick, they both made their way to Emma's yellow bug and got in instantly turning the engine on and turning the heating up. Once the car was warm enough and the windows were cleared Emma carefully started to drive down the streets of Storybrooke towards the town line.

"Ready kid?" she asked

"Let's go get mom!" Henry said with a smile and an amount of determination she recognised from herself and Regina when they were working together in Neverland to rescue Henry, which made her smile in silence feeling determined herself inside. They were going to get to Regina and they were going to be together.

"Mom? What is she rings? What do we say?" he asked

"Well I haven't exactly figured that part out yet, we could just act like we are at home...but that's lying to her, but then again if she finds out we are driving she will kill me, then you because it was your idea...then me again for listening to you!" she said almost talking to herself but Henry just giggled a little

"Mom it will be ok, she will be happy to see us and won't even think about how you had to drive us there to get to her, she won't be mad" he said

"You sure about that are you?" Emma smirked watching the road closely as they passed the town line into open road.

"Ok maybe a little mad, but its Christmas so she won't be mad for long, plus we would have already done it by then!" Henry watched out of the front window too wanting to help Emma spot anything that could be dangerous on the road like patches of ice but so far the trip was going well.

An hour later after staring out at the snow feeling really low and upset Regina braved the cold once more to go and make her way to her hotel room. All the driving and the excitement of going home, the bang on her head from the crash and the great disappointment and sadness about being away from her family had exhausted her. The heavy icy wind knocking her in all directions as she clung to the edges of her coat forcing them to keep closed around her and she walked slowly to her destination. When she arrived she got into her pyjama's and cuddled up in bed under the duvet flicking through the channels on the television just for something to do, a permanent frown on her face until one of the channels caught her eye, "It's a wonderful life" was starting, Regina loved that film but she doubted its power to make her feel better on this occasion, but she left it on anyway. Regina decided to send a text to Emma, knowing it was past Henry's bedtime but knew that if she rang and spoke to her wife she increased the risk of crying and she had already put Emma through that once today after she crashed and felt it was cruel to do it again with Emma knowing she couldn't be with her to comfort her.

Henry was fighting his instincts to fall asleep looking at his watch and knowing it was well past his bedtime, he took another gulp of his cocoa hoping it would perk him up a bit but, with it being warm in the car and Emma concentrating on driving, the lack of sound and steady movement of being in the car only increased his level of tiredness and he gently fell asleep lightly. However, the sound of Emma getting a text woke him up.

"Mom, you have a text" he said sleepily

"Ok well look who it's from for me please kid" she said, smiling hearing him yawning as he took the phone from her pocket

"It's from mom" Henry explained, "Shall I open it?"

" Errmmm, yeah ok" Emma said not wanting to pull over now that they were moving again and the traffic had died down.

Henry opened the text and read aloud to Emma "Hey baby, just to let you know I have made it back to my hotel safely, it's a wonderful life is on television, how ironic! Miss you and Henry, see you soon, will call you tomorrow, love you xxx"

Emma smiled knowing how happy Regina would be when she saw them.

"Mom, What's it's a wonderful life?" Henry asked trying to make sense of the text

"It's a film kid, about this guy and everything goes wrong for him and he can't see the good in his life so he wished he never existed and his wish comes true, an angel shows him what his family's lives would be like if he didn't exist. Then in the end he realises what he has to live for and there is a big celebration with the town" Emma explained "It's ironic because your mom and I love watching it because it shows us what we are thankful for but right now the things your mom is thankful for are, as far as she is aware, far away back at home."

"Us?" Henry said with a yawn

"Yeah kid" Emma said smiling at hearing him yawning

"Should I reply mom?" he asked yawning again

"Just put...It is a wonderful life baby, we love you xxx" Emma instructed slowing down the car feeling the roads turning icier as Henry sent the text.

"Nearly there Henry we just need to drive slow this last bit of the way, if you want to sleep this last little bit I will wake you when we get there" Emma said not taking her eyes off the road but Henry was already asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone! I know the last chapter was short but I didn't want to split this chapter up so enjoy this longer chapter! The next and final chapter coming up soon! Thank you all once again for your reviews and favourites and comments it really means a lot. Love Rouge xxx **

Chapter 8

Emma turned the radio on low as Henry slept in the passenger seat next to her, she looked at the clock and saw it was well past ten o'clock, they had been driving for over an hour now and would have reached the town by now in normal conditions but the snow had started falling again, lightly at first but now it was coming down heavier and Emma was finding it increasingly more difficult to see the road in front of her with her now blurred, snowy vision.

The radio cut out as it sometimes did in hectic weather and she looked down briefly to turn it off, when she looked back up she saw a patch of black ice in her path...she gasped and hit the brakes causing Henry and herself to fly forward into their seatbelts and Henry woke with a gasp but it was too late...she hit the ice, the car spun and Emma, still braking, turned the steering wheel the opposite way trying to regain control on her car as Henry shouted "MOM!" not knowing what was going on...she was eventually successful and the car came to a holt passed the ice.

Both Henry and Emma just sat there for a few seconds in shock at what had just happened and how it could have been so much worse.

"Hey kid, are you ok?" Emma asked leaning over and cupping Henry's cheek as the reality of the event hit her.

"I'm ok mom" Henry said quietly a little shocked from being awoken so abruptly and from the car spinning. When Emma was sure he was ok she let go of him, she was glad that the roads were empty otherwise she could have crashed into someone else.

"Are you ok? What happened?" he asked shocked

"I couldn't see properly with the snow, I didn't see the ice, sorry Henry" the blonde explained a little breathless from where she had been holding her breath trying to get control of her car

"It's ok mom, we are ok"

"Hey" she said gaining his attention "Your mom doesn't need to know about this ok?" she warned a little firmly. "She will only panic; this is why she didn't want me driving with you in the first place"

"It's ok mom, I won't tell her you almost killed us" He said with a smirk

"Henry!" she said firmly but she smirked and started the car again "We are nearly there now just around the next corner"

"Yay!" Henry exclaimed excitedly "Operation family christmas is nearly complete"

"Operation what?" Emma smirked "That one is a bit obvious isn't it? What happened to animal names like operation cobra?" Emma asked

"Well" Henry explained "Operation Cobra was named that because it was a secret, and mom told me that you and her called the Neverland rescue Operation Save Henry, that's an obvious name! So I just thought Operation family christmas had a good ring to it, don't you think?" he smiled

"You know what? I think Operation family christmas is a perfect name Henry" Emma smiled brightly at the road not wanting to miss any more ice as she drove into the town where Regina was.

Regina was still in bed; she was half watching the film "It's a wonderful life" but was also staring at her text from Emma from earlier. "It is a wonderful life" she read, and sighed "it doesn't feel like it right now baby" she whispered looking out of the window and seeing the snow had started falling again.

She made an official decision there and then that from now on she no longer loved the snow, in fact at that moment she hated it! She hated the snow, she hated that she had told Mr gold to send Emma's christmas present two towns over so that she wouldn't see her picking it up and wouldn't guess that it was something magical, she hated her car and the fact that she had crashed, she hated this town and the fact that she felt like everyone around her was celebrating except her, it didn't feel like Christmas for her, she had lost the spirit of the season, it wouldn't be Christmas for her until she was home.

She just felt so sorry for Henry too, he was still a child and his favourite time of the year was Christmas, and with everything he had been through in Neverland and his father coming back into his life she just wanted to make every moment she could special for him. And Emma, this was supposed to be a very special occasion for her, her first Christmas with a proper family of her own and now it was ruined Regina thought as she sighed heavily again as there was a loud knock at her door.

She frowned wondering who could be knocking at her door and got out of bed slowly went over to her door, unlocking it and opening the door.

"What are you doing here?" she frowned holding onto the door seeing Paul from the diner standing there; he had obviously had too much to drink as he was swaying gently in front of her. "You're drunk" she stated the obvious

"I didn't think you should be alone" he mumbles swaying

"You followed me back to my hotel room after getting drunk, charming" she frowned "If you don't mind I am in the middle of something" and she went to close the door but he pushed his hand out firmly and stopped the door from closing.

"Let me come in, we can get to know each other better" he mumbled trying to push his way into her hotel room.

"Look, I don't know what you are planning, but I am warning you, it wouldn't be a good idea for you to stop me closing this door again" she said firmly and tried to close the door but he didn't let her.

"Paul, was it?" she asked glaring at him and he nodded.

"Well Paul, you can come in" she said and smiled at him checking up both sides of the hall seeing it was empty and she slowly opened the door.

"Really?" he asked shuffling, a little confused at the change of heart from Regina

"Yes of course" she smiled and lifted her left hand and a fireball grew fast from her palm "if you can make it through the door". She smirked enjoying seeing his eyes widen as his expression change from confident to fear so quickly, he opened and closed his eyes a few times as if he thought he was imagining the fireball and then quickly stepped back against the wall opposite her door and quickly ran, well wobbled, back down the corridor as she made the fireball disappear.

"Good decision" she called after him and went back into her room locking the door behind her and climbing back into bed and looking at the clock at the side of her bed, it was 12:03 officially Christmas day.

She groaned a few minutes later hearing another knock on her door. "I really thought that would have scared him off for good" she mumbled to herself getting up out of bed again and wondered whether or not to actually answer the door. Another fist quietly knocked on her door and she realised that more than one person was outside causing her to frown, "who has he brought with him?" she asked herself standing up and making her way to the door, keeping the chain on the door opening it slowly.

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She was in complete shock at the sight before her, the corners of her mouth rose at such a speed that she was sure she must have looked slightly psychopathic for a few seconds and she quickly took the chain off the door to see for sure that her beautiful wife and son were standing there before her with very similar smiles on their faces.

"Mom!" Henry exclaimed jumping into her open arms and hugging her tightly, she automatically hugged him back but just stared at them both speechless "Merry christmas mom!" he said muffled into her pyjama top as she unconsciously stroked her sons hair, hugging him tight.

"W..what...what are you both doing here?" she managed to ask quietly still not sure if someone was playing a trick on her...she couldn't remember falling asleep but maybe this was all just a dream?

"We drove up to get you, we both decided that we didn't want to be without you any longer" Emma said smiling

"But, I told you not to come, I didn't want you driving in this weather" Regina said but couldn't help smiling at Emma

"Oh well...we will just go then" Emma teased "Come on Henry"

Regina smiled "Come here Mrs Swan-Mills!" she ordered as Henry let go of his mother and wandered into the hotel room putting his backpack down and jumping onto the bed.

Emma's smile grew wider as she stepped towards her wife for the first time in what seemed like forever and wrapped her arms around Regina's waist, Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's neck and kissed her hard showing her how much she had missed her. Emma pushed Regina backwards forcing her to walk backwards into the room still stuck in their embrace and Emma kicked the door closed behind her gently, pushing into Regina's kiss.

When they finally parted they both smiled at each other and Emma stroked Regina's cheek. "You know you are never going away again right?" the blonde stated firmly and Regina kissed her again gently and cuddled into her.

"I missed you so much baby" Regina whispered

"I missed you too" Emma returned the hug but frowned when Regina lifted her head up again and she noticed the bump and cut on her head from the crash

"What?" Regina asked a little taken aback by Emma's expression

"Your head baby" Emma said gently touching the side of Regina's head causing the brunette to wince "oh...Sorry baby, you really hit your head hard huh?" Emma said studying her wife's head.

"Yes, it was terrifying, spinning off the road like that and waking up all disorientated"

"Emma gave a nervous laugh "I...can only imagine"

"Does it look really bad?" Regina asked bringing her hand up to cover the bang to her head.

Emma smiled and gently pulled Regina's hand back down again "No, you are still beautiful baby" which caused Regina to blush slightly and the couple kissed again.

Emma looked around the hotel room once they parted and finally rested her gaze on Henry, asleep on the bed. Both mothers smiled at their son and Regina made her way over to him and gently sat him up supporting him as she removed his coat, then his shoes as Emma tidied the bags away. Regina lay Henry down and covered him up with the duvet, "Goodnight my little prince" she whispered as she kissed his head and stroked his hair lightly.

"He missed you a lot too you know" Emma whispered seeing that look in Regina's eyes, the far off distant look she had when remembering a part of her tragic past. Emma had come to realise that 9 times out of ten when Regina had that look in her eyes, she was either thinking about her abusive relationship with her mother when she was younger or the cold, harsh treatment Henry had given her when Emma first arrived in Storybrooke. Both memories still very painful for Regina to think about and the memories of Henry made her so unsure of his happiness with her as a mother sometimes that it often took Emma or Henry to reassure her, she couldn't do it on her own.

"Really?" she asked quietly, not taking her eyes off her sleeping son

"Really" Emma reassured her, "he was so upset when he thought you weren't coming home, all this was his idea you know...Operation family Christmas!" which made Regina smile but she caught Emma yawning out of the corner of her eye.

"We had better get some rest otherwise we will be exhausted later when Henry wakes up" she said as she kissed Henry's head again before tidying the room a little and turning the television off while Emma got ready for bed. Regina got into the bed first next to Henry shortly followed by Emma who put her arm around Regina as the brunette cuddled up to her resting against her chest.

"Love you baby" Regina whispered cuddling into Emma and feeling Henry beside her.

"Love you too Regina" Emma whispered as she planted a gentle kiss on Regina's head.


End file.
